§ MR. A. L. STANLEY (Cheshire, Eddisbury)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the amount he has placed in the Estimates for making good the deficiency of officers; and whether he can give any estimate of the number of reserve officers of the new class he hopes to get in the course of this year.
§ MR. HALDANEThe amount included in the Estimates of 1908–9 under the new scheme for the provision of Reserve Officers is £50,000. I cannot usefully attempt to give any estimate of the numbers of the new class likely to join during the year, but I shall be glad to get as many as will come. In addition I hope that a very large proportion of the existing Militia officers will join the new Reserve. I am glad to take this opportunity of correcting the mistake which occurred in the report of my speech 1069 on Army Estimates this year with regard to the sum available for this purpose.